Wang Yi. Photo courtesy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
BEIJING, 11 January (BelTA) - China fully supports Russia, which assumes BRICS chairmanship this year, in hosting a successful BRICS summit, and stands ready to make joint efforts with Russia to enhance the international influence of BRICS, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
The Chinese foreign minister said that Beijing seeks to raise multilateral cooperation in BRICS to a new, higher quality level. "China fully supports Russia, which assumes BRICS chairmanship this year, in hosting a successful BRICS summit, and stands ready to make joint efforts with Russia to enhance the international influence of BRICS and raise BRICS cooperation to a new level,” said Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
The Chinese top diplomat said Russia and China should strengthen strategic communication on issues related to the future of mankind and the world. "Being two responsible major countries, China and Russia should strengthen strategic communication, build more strategic consensuses and carry out more strategic cooperation on the future of mankind and the world,” Wang Yi said.
In 2022, under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has been running on high gear, said Wang Yi.
Through high-quality strategic coordination, the two sides have not only well managed the affairs of their respective countries, but also played mainstay roles in the international arena and maintained global strategic stability, Wang Yi noted.
The BRICS group has expanded its membership twice since 2006, with South Africa joining the original membership of Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2011. In August 2023, the group welcomed five new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. They officially became full members of BRICS on 1 January 2024 during the Russian presidency.
